The Maine Department of Education is committed to supporting schools in the delivery of quality and effective PreK-12 visual and performing arts instruction. Research shows that students involved in the visual and performing arts are more successful in school, more involved in their communities, and perform better on standardized tests. Engagement in the visual and performing arts deepens students' overall knowledge as well as their social and emotional development.
All Maine publicly-supported schools have implemented the Visual and Performing Arts Standards included in the Maine Learning Results. The standards outline a comprehensive pathway to enable every high school graduate to exhibit proficiency in one or more of the visual and performing arts disciplines — dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Connecting the visual and performing arts with other content areas of the curriculum may improve a student's engagement and learning.
The Maine Department of Education recognizes that the key to success is local commitment to the visual and performing arts. Staffing, scheduling, and resources vary from district to district, and often even between schools within districts. Research supports the implementation of a comprehensive visual and performing arts education curriculum to meet the learning needs of all students, and the standards document guides local schools in developing comprehensive and sequential standards-based visual and performing arts curricula for student learning.
This site provides students, educators, and community members with visual and performing arts information and resources reflective of Maine's learning standards.
Want to see how these standards were developed? View the Visual & Performing Arts Standards Review for the full review history, timelines, and committee membership.
Standards
The complete standards document outlines a comprehensive and sequential pathway toward proficiency in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.
Arts Assessment
- Arts Assessment for Learning — the product of a partnership between the New York City Department of Education's Office of Arts and Special Projects and ArtsConnection, a model arts education organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). Since 2005, the two have collaborated on USDE-funded projects that support the professional development of hundreds of New York City arts teachers.
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Arts Assessment — the report that measured students' knowledge and skills in the arts by asking them to observe, describe, analyze, and evaluate works of music and visual art and to create original works of visual art. The most recent arts assessment was given in 2016 to approximately 8,800 students in grade 8; about one-half were assessed in music (4,300 students) and the other half in visual arts (4,400 students).
Resources
In Maine, how schools implement standards is entirely a local decision. The Maine Department of Education has compiled the following state and national resources that educators may find helpful as part of our commitment to supporting Maine's learning community.
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) — President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act into law in 2015 to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 and replace key requirements of the outdated No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education took the first steps to implement ESSA.
- Maine ESSA Website
- Professional Arts Education State Organizations — these state professional organizations offer content-specific resources and information to educators and the general public specific to visual and performing arts education.
- Andrew Wyeth Day — in 2009, the Maine State Legislature passed, and Governor John Baldacci signed, An Act to Designate July 12th as Wyeth Day in recognition of the birthday of Andrew Wyeth, one of America's great artists. In accordance with the legislation, the Maine DOE has made information available to the people and schools of Maine.
- Portland Museum of Art — the PMA strives to enrich the lives of people through acquisition, preservation, and interpretation of the visual arts and the Museum's architecturally significant buildings.
- The University of Maine Museum of Art (UMMA) — take advantage of the extensive educational offerings the Museum collection has to offer. With over 40 exhibits to choose from, there is a huge variety of content that can meet and supplement your curriculum objectives. Kat Johnson, Senior Museum Educator, is available to come to your classroom to work on-site with your students, at no cost to the school. All units include artist bios, glossaries, and supplemental educational materials. Schedule your visit today! You can also schedule a field trip to the museum, where your gallery tour will be hosted by a professional museum educator and may include gallery and studio activities.
- Arts Education Partnership — this coalition serves as the nation's hub for individuals and organizations committed to making high-quality arts education accessible to all U.S. students, improving arts education practice, and researching how art influences American education.
- Bloom's Taxonomy — during the 1990s, Benjamin Bloom's Taxonomy was revised and placed "Creating" at the top of the pyramid.
- National Coalition for Core Arts Standards — a partnership of organizations and states have worked to produce new, national voluntary arts education standards.
- National Endowment for the Arts — the National Endowment for the Arts extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, and other federal agencies.
- SEADAE — supports the professional effectiveness of individual members and provides a collective voice for leadership on issues affecting arts education.